傳法正宗記 2.22

2.22

The Venerable Śāṇavāsa was a native of the country of Mathurā. He was also called Śanavāsin, of the Vaiśya caste. His father was called Linsheng ('Forest Triumph'), and his mother was called Jiao-she-ye (Kauśeyā). After remaining in the womb for six full years, he was finally born, and his body naturally bore a robe that grew along with his physique. In Sanskrit it is called śāṇaka-yuga, which here means 'natural garment'. Originally in the Western Regions there was an auspicious herb that always grew in superior places; when a holy person who had attained the Way appeared in the world, the herb transformed into nine branches in response to it. When the Venerable One was born, the herb transformed just as expected. At first he served the ṛṣis of the Snow Mountains. When his master among the ṛṣis sought deliverance from Ānanda, the Venerable One was among those who left the household. Soon he realized the Way and became an arhat. Thereupon his fetal robe transformed into a nine-strip Dharma robe. Before this, when the Tathāgata was traveling and converting, he once arrived in Mathurā. Seeing a luxuriant grove, he turned to Ānanda and said, 'The name of this grove's ground is Urumuṇḍa. Nearly one hundred years after my extinction, there will be a monk named Śāṇavāsa who will expound the Dharma and deliver people here.' After Ānanda entered extinction, the Venerable One, traveling and converting with his Dharma, arrived here and intended to reside there. Just then, two fire dragons jointly occupied the land, and suddenly brought about wind and rain to display their might. The Venerable One then entered the samādhi of loving-kindness to subdue them, and told the dragons, 'The Buddha prophesied of old that this would be a saṅghārāma; you should relinquish it.' Because of the Buddha's prophecy, the dragons joyfully relinquished it. The Venerable One thereupon established a monastery and expounded the Dharma, widely delivering humans and devas, fully fulfilling the Buddha's words. After a long time, the Venerable One wished to transmit the Dharma. He entered samādhi to observe in which country the holy person prophesied by the Buddha as his successor would reside. Emerging from samādhi, he used his supernatural powers to go alone to the country of Caṭi and visited the house of the elder Śūdra Shanyi. After Shanyi met him and made prostrations, he asked the reason for his coming. The Venerable One said, 'I was born solitary, so I have come to seek a companion.' Shanyi said, 'I indulge in worldly pleasures and have no leisure to accompany you. When I have a son, I shall dedicate him to the Dharma.' The Venerable One praised him and departed. Later, Shanyi indeed had sons: the first was called Upakīla, the second was called Upayama, and when he raised a third, it was called Upagupta. The Venerable One knew he was surely a vessel of the Dharma, and again went to Shanyi, telling him, 'This third son, Upagupta, fits the Buddha's prophecy and should inherit my transmission of the Dharma; you should renounce him [to the Order].' Because of the Buddha's prophecy, Shanyi dared not refuse him. Thereupon Gupta followed him and left the household. The Venerable One asked him, 'How old are you?' He replied, 'I am seventeen years old.' The Venerable One said again, 'Is your body seventeen, or is your nature seventeen?' Gupta then said, 'Master's hair is already white; is your hair white, or is your mind white?' The Venerable One said, 'Only my hair is white, not my mind.' Gupta then said, 'My body is seventeen, but my nature is not seventeen.' The Venerable One regarded him as an even rarer vessel. When he received the precepts and realized the Way, the Venerable One instructed him, saying, 'In the past, the Tathāgata entrusted the Eye of the Great Dharma to Mahākāśyapa. Kāśyapa entered samādhi and entrusted it to my master Ānanda, down to me. I now bestow it upon you. Transmit it well and do not let it be severed. Listen to my verse:'